The Cure for Nightmares
by pinnipednorth
Summary: Ben finds himself in his parents' bed following a nightmare and discovers an effective remedy for bad dreams. Wholesome Solo family drabble.


Ben's tiny eyes jolted open and he hurriedly took in the surroundings of his dark bedroom. It didn't appear that the monsters from his bad dream were lurking in the shadows of his unlit room, but he couldn't be certain. Ben kicked the covers off his body and threw himself down to the floor, his little feet landing with a soft thud.

He wound his way through the dark hallway using only his memory as a guide and arrived at a grey door. Pulling himself onto his tip toes, Ben's tiny fingers palmed for the controls like he'd seen the adults in his life do countless times and the door slid open in response. He ran over to the large bed in the center of the room, his stumpy legs barely keeping him upright as his feet smacked against the wood floor.

Ben stood at the side of the bed analyzing his sleeping parents. Leia's petite frame was curled up against Han's, one of his arms draped over her hips protectively. They had fallen asleep with their fingers intertwined and Leia pulled their union close to her chest. Ben could see his mother's face contort in her sleep. A concerned but loving energy prodded him from within his chest, and Mom's eyes opened in response to the fear she sensed. She smiled sadly, groggily, and wiggled her hand from her husband's so she could extended it out towards her son.

"Come here, baby," her voice called out barely above a whisper. "Another bad dream?"

Ben launched himself into his mother's arms and shook his head in confirmation. A distressed whimper escaped his throat. Leia shifted her weight so she could lay on her back and patted the mattress beside her. Ben hoisted himself up to her, his face buried in the crook of her neck. Leia's hands rubbed small circles on his back to coax him down from his terrified state.

"Oh, sweet boy," she whispered. "I wish I could take away your pain."

Ben hiccupped in response and clenched her shirt in his tiny hands. He wiped his face against her chest and she grimaced at the mark his nose left upon her.

"Hey!" She jokingly scolded him in a hushed tone and Ben grinned up at her before resting his forehead against her chest in a bout of bashfulness.

A groan emerged from between Han's slightly parted lips as he readjusted the arm embracing his wife. His fingers grazed a tiny foot and he paused, drew his hand back to his wife's hipbone, and back to the strange body in his bed. He peeked his head over Leia's shoulder to get a look at the intruder.

"Whadda ya doin' here, kid?" His face transitioned from confusion to a warm smile at the sight of his child. Ben lifted his head so that he could peer at Han with one eye. Han's arm moved to support his head and he squinted one eye shut to mirror his son's expression.

Ben's voice was muffled against Leia's shirt. "I dreamed of bad guys."

Leia watched Han's smile fade and met his gaze. Concern flooded his eyes.

"Come 'ere, Ben."

The little boy pushed himself up, using his mother as leverage and she chuckled in equal parts discomfort and entertainment. He wedged himself between his parents and Han scooped him up in his muscular arms to lay Ben on his chest like he'd done countless times before.

Han placed a chaste kiss on his boy's head. "Did ya know that Momma used to dream about bad guys, too?"

Ben looked to Leia as if seeking confirmation. She smiled sweetly and raised her hand to brush wisps of shaggy, black hair out of Ben's eyes, her head propped up against her wrist.

"And don't tell her I told you this," Han lowered his voice but eyed Leia in his peripheral, "but the only thing that helped her was listening to _my_ heartbeat_._" Han raised his eyebrows in pride and shot his wife a look, who shook her head in amusement.

Ben's eyes narrowed with a glint of mischief and he proudly exclaimed to his mother, "Daddy said not to tell you but–"

His sentence was interrupted with an explosion of giggles as Han picked him up and shook him playfully.

"What did I just say, kid?"

Leia's heart melted. She feigned indignation. "I _know_, Ben, how dare he? Trying to keep secrets from me."

Her son shrieked gleefully and Han brought him to lay against his chest once again, his hands resting on Ben's back.

Leia leaned her cheek against her husband's shoulder. "Your daddy is a troublemaker."

"No," Ben cackled, "Daddy's nice."

"Yes, baby." Her hand fell to rest on Han's bicep. "He's a very nice man."

Ben's eyelids grew heavy with an exhaustion that he hadn't realized was consuming him. He blinked heavily in an effort to prevent himself from slipping into unconsciousness when he felt the familiar prodding sensation within his chest yet again. Mom was surrounding him in the Force and her protective energy engulfed him like a loving embrace. He braced his ear against the firmness of Han's chest. The sound of his father's steady heartbeat soothed his anxieties and he witnessed his parents admiring each other with soft, sleepy eyes as he began to drift away.

Maybe Mom truly _had_ found the cure for nightmares.


End file.
